October 2026 Newsletter.

Hello Letter Lovers...

The Joy of Discovery

One of the best parts about the 'job' of creating and curating this archive is sinking an afternoon into a collection of letters.

The weight of an envelope in the hand.

The sound of paper shuffling.

The swirls of penmanship and stories. 

The theme of this month's newsletter is inspired by that inner rush, that thrill that comes over me when I'm working with a collection to catalog or feature.

I've indulged and spent the late summer working away so that in the coming months and year we can all share in that joy of discovery, together. 

In almost a decade, I've learnt that some years feel 'quieter' than others, but I still hold my breath in awe and wonder when I slip a letter from its envelope. 

That and the community you help create, letter lover, are why any of this exists.

Hanly 

When I saw these 2 vintage 'Air Canada' envelopes posted for sale on Vinted earlier this year I quickly scooped them up for the archive. Just this week I finally got the chance to transcribe them and discover the story behind them.

The two Hanly letters are now up on the website to read.

Fair warning there's a few '[unreadable]' dotted throughout the transcriptions to account for difficult handwriting or damage to the letters themselves. Happy reading!

'Finder'

Now this BBC story is one that you've simply just got to read. It involves a letter, Blue Peter and a cat named 'Kizzy'! 

Photo: BBC News.

'New' Old

Be sure to save your (virtual) seat for Sunday October 25th for "'New' Old Letters: First Looks from the Flea Market Love Letters Archive". Join us for an hour as we look to 'new' old letters that have recently been cataloged in the archive but not yet featured!